Cabin Run Tributary B Stream Restoration

Paciulli, Simmons & Associates (PSA) were contracted to produce concepts, alternatives, and final construction drawings for the restoration of a 700-foot reach of an unnamed tributary of Quantico Creek in Prince William County, VA.  The reach had become highly incised and eroded due to hydrologic alteration of its 70-acre watershed in recent decades.  The stream was contributing high sediment loads to Quantico Creek and the Potomac estuary, and presented safety hazards to local residents due to steep and undercut slopes on the stream bank.

PSA hydrologists and ecologists investigated existing conditions at the stream and performed calculations using the Rosgen geomorphologic classification system to determine the hydrologically correct shape and size of the stream bed and banks.  Using the Rosgen classification as a guide, our team produced an engineered design that would accommodate the modified flow volumes the stream currently experiences.  The design addressed public safety, ecological, and constructability issues.

PSA’s final design included relaxation of the steep slopes, a new horizontal alignment of portions of the stream channel, armoring portions of the bed and banks with articulated concrete mat.  The plan also included re-planting of the new stream banks with a sustainable native plant mix designed to provide an attractive aesthetic environment for human users, as well as wildlife habitat and foraging resources.